How does John 5:18 affirm Jesus' divine nature and equality with God? The Setting: Why John 5:18 Matters • Jesus has just healed a man who had been crippled for thirty-eight years (John 5:1-9). • He did it on the Sabbath and told the man to “Pick up your mat and walk,” provoking the religious leaders (John 5:9-12). • The dispute escalates from a Sabbath controversy to a theological crisis—because of Jesus’ own words about His relationship to the Father. The Text Itself “ ‘For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He was not only breaking the Sabbath, but also calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.’ ” (John 5:18) Two Accusations, One Astonishing Claim 1. “Breaking the Sabbath” • From the leaders’ perspective, Jesus disregarded their oral traditions that fenced in the Sabbath. 2. “Calling God His own Father” • The Greek phrase implies an exclusive, unique relationship—literally “His own (idios) Father.” • The inspired narrator immediately states the implication: “making Himself equal with God.” • In first-century Jewish thought, claiming equality with God was blasphemy punishable by death (cf. Leviticus 24:16). Why This Affirms Jesus’ Deity • John—under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration—interprets Jesus’ words as a claim of equality. Scripture therefore presents the claim as fact, not merely as a misunderstanding. • The verse ties a human title (“Son”) to divine equality, showing that Jesus shares God’s very nature rather than merely representing Him. • The reaction of the religious leaders confirms their clear grasp of Jesus’ intent: no prophet or angel ever called God “My own Father” in this absolute sense. Echoes and Reinforcements in the Rest of Scripture • John 1:1, 14 — “The Word was God… the Word became flesh.” • John 10:30-33 — “ ‘I and the Father are one.’… ‘You, a mere man, claim to be God.’ ” • Philippians 2:5-6 — Christ Jesus, “existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.” • Colossians 2:9 — “In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells bodily.” • Hebrews 1:3 — “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature.” How John Stresses Literal Equality • John’s Gospel repeatedly presents Jesus’ “I AM” sayings (John 8:58; 18:5-6) in language echoing God’s self-revelation in Exodus 3:14. • In John 5, Jesus goes on to claim divine prerogatives: giving life (v. 21), executing judgment (v. 22), and receiving the same honor due to the Father (v. 23). • The context, wording, and authorial comment all converge: the equality is real, not metaphorical. Why This Truth Strengthens Our Faith • Assurance of salvation rests on a Savior who is truly God; only God can give eternal life (John 5:24). • Worship is directed rightly when we honor the Son just as we honor the Father (John 5:23). • Confidence in Scripture grows as we see its coherent testimony—from Genesis to Revelation—affirming the full deity of Jesus Christ. |
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